The history of the Domaine Lyon Saint Joseph
The Domaine Lyon Saint Joseph is closely linked to the Church of Lyon. The building was built between 1926 and 1928 on a ground belonging to the Diocese since 1860. On the border between the Sainte Foy-lès-Lyon and Francheville districts, the estate benefits from an outstanding view over the ‘Monts du Lyonnais’ hills. The construction including the roof structure in concrete is innovative even though the architecture with a cloister remains close to the monastic tradition.
The Saint Joseph seminary helped the close by Saint Irénée Seminary, which could not welcome all seminarists. The first two years education mainly based on philosophy have been taught in the Saint Joseph seminary for forty years.
During the seventies, the evolution of the French society was reflected in the seminaries. The reduction of numbers in religious vocations obliged the Diocese to rethink its organisation: the philosophy education cycle was transferred to the Saint Irénée seminary. The Cardinal Renard, bishop of Lyon at the time, decided to reposition the Saint Joseph seminary: it started to welcome meetings and conferences.
On 31st May 1971, the Saint Joseph institution opened its doors to guests who used to be welcomed in the La Rivette Institution (in the Caluire quarter), which was closed for town planning reasons. Then, the Saint Joseph Institution has been receiving for thirty five years spiritual retreats, Church meetings as well as union meetings and the first professional trainings, according to its social commitment since 1920.
From the year 2000, more changes have occurred. In order to open up more widely to the organisation, community and professional world, the Saint Joseph institution began a new transformation. Two years of work were necessary to renovate and transform the building. On 25th September 2008, the house reopened its doors. On 1st November 2008, the Maison Saint Joseph organisation let the SAS ‘Domaine Lyon Saint Joseph’ take over the management of the site.
The renovation work
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Project (January 2006)
Straight after the Cardinal Philippe Barbarin’s decision to renovate the building, the architect Michel Lardet in connection with the representative of the employer developed with meticulous care a renovation project which led to the agreement for the planning permission during the summer 2006. Equipment modernisation, embellishment and rationalisation of the various rooms, compliance with the safety standards and comfort were the guidelines followed by the architect, who made this architectural project a great success.
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Preparing of the work (October 2006)
The preparation phase of the work started in the autumn: contractors’ site exploring, measuring and core sampling. After months of tidying, archiving and packing, the staff fully emptied the building and provisionally set the reception in the building next to the Saint Irénée Seminary.
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Demolition (January 2007)
On 4th January 2007 the demolishing phase started. The building was emptied from everything: sinks, doors, radiators, pipes, casings. All the partition walls were knocked down. The rubble was piling up, skips rotated all day long for several weeks.
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Re-planning of the various areas (February 2007-Beginning 2008)
Quite rapidly the work got into the shell building phase: slab screed, partition walls, new openings, new accesses, attic conversion, glass gallery creation. A hundred contractors from about thirty companies well managed by the architect were busy on the work. The role of the architect was also to take care of the timing plan and the specifications.
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Decorating (spring 2008)
With the arrival of the lovely spring days, the building started to be decorated. The colours displayed on walls and floors are harmonious with warm and lighter shades. Each of the 3 wings has a dominant colour in order for the guests to find their way easier: yellow, orange and red.
The wall and floor coverings bring a hushed touch in the estate which is now friendly and welcoming despite of its size.
The façade is also transformed with the paint in shaded tones of ochre, which cheer up the building and enable it to be set harmoniously the green setting between Foy-lès-Lyon and Francheville districts. -
Last construction works (summer 2008)
During the summer 2008, the refurbishing phase was in full swing. The architect Pierre Faure who helped the architect Michel Lardet during the last months of the building work was then in charge of the refurbishment with authority and expertise: central heating, lighting, kitchen, bathrooms, several telephone networks, sound system, WIFI, terracing and furnishing of the lecture hall.
Once the interior of the building was completed, the final phase of the work was to do up the immediate area around the estate: the inner courtyard with a garden full of flowers, a landscaped car park under the new plantations, the access to the new reception area with an open foyer through nature, which introduces the guests to the stress-free and picturesque atmosphere characterising our property. -
Reopening and Inauguration
From 1st august 2008, with the information and communication systems functioning, we managed to get in contact with our clients while the furnishing and decorating of the 9000m² carried on in prospect of welcoming our first guests in September.
The inauguration by the Cardinal Philippe Barbarin took place a few months later in the presence of Mr. Michel Mercier, President of the Department council, Mr. René Lambert and Mr.Michel Chapas, respectively Mayors of Francheville and Sainte Foy-lès-Lyon districts, and Mr.Régis Pelen, President of the supervisory board of SAS Domaine Lyon Saint Joseph.
The inauguration of the Saint Joseph Chapel on 23rd April 2009 put an end to the 2 years renovation work.
This Chapel is the work of the sculptor Dominique Kaeppelin who realised the altarpiece and the liturgical furniture. The stained glass windows are the joint work of Brehed Le Masson-Kaeppelin for the conception and Liliane Malvolti, Master glassmaker, for the making. The lighting effects, the uncluttered lines and the quality materials of this Chapel located at the beginning of the building complete the impression of modernity in the tradition which comes out of this renovation.
Today the professionals who welcome you with care and expertise pursue this work bringing peace and beauty at every moment of your stay.
